Switch it off! Inspiration Trust Schools Announced Winners for Utility Aid’s Energy Saving Art Competition

Excitement has been rife across the Inspiration Trust as three of its schools were announced winners of Utility Aid’s Net Zero Art Competition were on Wednesday 29th March. 

Students from all schools across Inspiration Trust were invited to submit a poster to illustrate the importance of being more eco-friendly and of looking after our planet. A subject extremely close to the Trust’s heart, all schools across the MAT have been learning about the importance of reducing energy, with a number of initiatives within each school to support the Trust’s overall goal of reducing energy consumption by 20%, including the set up of a dedicated group of Eco-Champions within each school.  

The standard of entries was extremely high and selecting the 3 lucky winners was not an easy task for Utility Aid’s Commercial Director, William Campbell. But after much deliberation, the lucky winners were announced to be:

Frank Olson, in Year 7 at Hethersett Academy was awarded third place. Frank was over the moon to hear he had won 3rd place and a £50 gift voucher.  He was just (if not more!) excited when Jane Diver, Principal at Hethersett Academy, told him that she plans to have his poster copied and put up around the school site, to continue reminding pupils and staff to save energy every single day. Ms Diver was thrilled that Frank’s poster had been chosen and said: “Frank is such an asset to our school community and is a shining example to others”.

Frank is the current Chair of Hethersett Academy’s Eco-Committee and is passionate about the message his poster sends. He is genuinely enthusiastic about making the school a more environmentally-friendly place and spends many of his break times volunteering to do litter-picking as well as completing the challenges set by the ‘Energy Champion’, Carol Simpson. Energy Champion Carol Simpson explains they are working towards obtaining a  ‘Green Flag’ and hopes to be awarded Eco-School status. Hethersett Academy regularly looks at ways to improve the schools’ sustainability and is looking into a better recycling system, as well as offering a plant-based menu in the school canteen!

Frank hopes that his poster will: 

“inspire others to think about the energy they’re using, because everyone can make a real difference.”

Second place was awarded to Bella Leonard, in Year 8 at East Point Academy. Bella was thrilled to have won 2nd place and described her reason for choosing an emotive image of polar bears as important to: 

“make people think about the impact we are having on nature from the decisions we make every day.” 

As part of Inspiration Trust’s wider energy reduction goal, East Point Academy is working to become a more sustainable school and has a very proactive Energy Champion, English teacher, Demelza Craven-Lamb, who explained how their student-led approach means the focus of the projects they run feel really meaningful to the students. Like Hethersett Academy, East Point Academy is also working towards ‘Green Flag’ status and over the next year they plan to focus on three main areas: Energy, litter and the environment. They have some wonderful ideas including inviting the Wildlife Trust to speak to students about local habitats and animals. The school also believes learning more about sea birds in the school playground areas will help them to understand what they need for a healthy habitat.

When Bella entered the competition she wasn’t a member of the Eco-committee. However, after winning the competition she was delighted when Ms Craven-Lamb asked if she would like to join.

First place was won by Demi Sadler, Year 11 at Thetford Academy. Demi won a £100 gift voucher for her unique and creative poster which impressively brings her two characters, Lux and Blight to life. The school plan to use the characters as their ‘energy mascots’ for many years to come, which Demi is rightly very proud of.  

At Thetford Academy, Energy Champion, Emily Field short-listed a huge number of entries and then tasked the Eco-club students in Years 7-9 with picking which entry should be entered into Utility Aid’s competition. Demi’s creative design was chosen as the Eco-club loved the idea of bringing Demi’s characters to life, using them to communicate the importance of being more energy efficient… so much so, they even turned them into an animation!

Like Bella, Demi wasn’t previously part of the school’s Eco-club, but feels strongly about environmental issues. Demi relished the opportunity to get creative when she saw the task on her enrichment homework options. Energy champion Emily Field was so impressed with Demi’s poster and her passion for the topic, that she has invited her to become an Eco-club leader, something which Demi looks forward to getting involved in and plans to continue when she moves into Sixth form at the academy.

Ruaire Glackin, Head of Net Zero at Utility Aid, said: 

“[I was] overjoyed to see how much the competition had inspired so many young people to think about the energy we use and the impact we can have on our environment” 

Bernadette Fowler, School Project Manager at Utility Aid, had the pleasure of presenting the prizes and said how impressed she was with the artwork created, said: 

“[I was] even more impressed with the tangible passion and determination of the students I met to make a real difference…they are our future after all, and it certainly is in good hands.

 

Thank you to ALL students who entered the competition and to all those staff and students who run and attend their Eco-clubs each week! Ruaire and our Net Zero team plan to run more competitions in collaboration with the Energy Champions and students across the Trust.”